By Martin Bernheimer [Financial Times, 10 May 2010]

Alban Berg’s ultimate masterpiece, Lulu, had its premiere in Zurich back in 1937. The Met finally acknowledged the opera 40 years later, thanks to the advocacy of James Levine. Although hardly a mass-audience favourite, the production - directed by John Dexter and designed by Jocelyn Herbert - has survived 33 sporadic performances, with Levine on duty on all but three occasions.